I gain ten years' worth of cultivation every day, and even geniuses will only see my doorstep!

Qin Yuan finished the last mouthful of taro porridge, put down the bowl, and wiped his mouth.

"Besides forming alliances, what other actions are planned?"

"All seven factions are mobilizing resources, sending their most treasured array-building inheritances to the Myriad Array Dao Court. Zhou Yuanli has publicly stated that he will build the number one protective array in the Great Void, claiming it's to defend against threats from the outer realms. The words sound grand and noble, but who doesn't know that the outer realms can't possibly invade right now?"

Qin Yuan pondered for a moment. Zhou Yuanli's move was indeed brilliant. The stated reason for building the mountain-protecting array was to defend against external forces—this was the moral high ground. Anyone who opposed it was deemed to be disregarding the safety of the Great Void. However, once this array was completed, its defensive range would definitely extend far beyond the gates of the Myriad Arrays Dao Court. The Myriad Arrays Dao Court was the foremost sect in the Great Void's array system; they had the capability to expand the range of the mountain-protecting array to the entire territory of the alliance, and even further.

"He's using the chaotic energy he collected from you." Su Yao put down her teapot, her brows furrowed. "Remember the remaining array patterns on that apology letter? They were trying to collect the aura of the person who opened it. You had the gatekeeper open the letter; the gatekeeper is an Immortal Realm cultivator. After his aura was collected, the Myriad Array Dao Court mastered a new array defense parameter—a protective array driven by chaotic energy. They're using the key you gave them to build a wall that can stop you."

"No matter how high the wall is built, it can't stop people who don't value their lives." Yan Lingji slammed her hand on the table. "Let's charge straight up and dismantle the array base."

"And that confirms what the Myriad Array Dao Court said—the Guixu Palace bullied others and attacked legitimate forces in the Taixu without cause." Yan Yue walked in from outside the courtyard, leaning on her wooden cane, holding a piece of intelligence that had just been sent from the Eternal Heaven Domain. "And it's not just one of them watching you. According to my information, more than a dozen of the Seventy-Two Holy Dynasties are observing. Their attitude is very clear—if the Guixu Palace makes the first move, they will side with the Myriad Array Dao Court. If the Guixu Palace swallows its anger, they will maintain the status quo. If the Guixu Palace can find evidence of the Myriad Array Dao Court's violations, they will stand on the side of the evidence."

"Evidence." Qin Yuan repeated the two words.

"That's right." Yan Yue sat down at the stone table and spread out the information. "Although the Iron Law of Taixu has exempted most of its provisions for the Guixu Palace, one clause remains in effect—prohibiting any force from setting up offensive restrictions on public passages at the Taixu border. The Eternal Ladder is a public passage, and although the Devouring Light Array Pattern is a blocking type, it is still essentially a restriction. As long as it can be proven that the Devouring Light Array Pattern did indeed come from the Myriad Array Dao Court, Zhou Yuanli will have violated the Iron Law of Taixu, and the initiative will then be back in your hands."

Qin Yuan glanced at his left hand, the light of the Eye of Chaos flashing briefly in his pupils. After the Devouring Light Array was broken, he had preserved a fragment before the grayish-white membrane shattered. The fragment was now sealed within the Chaos Seal. The remaining array patterns on the fragment were completely identical to the core array patterns on the Myriad Arrays Dao Court Mountain Gate Array Plate. He already possessed this evidence. What he needed wasn't evidence, but the right opportunity.

"Wait a little longer," Qin Yuan said.

"Wait for what?" Yan Lingji asked, puzzled.

"Wait until Zhou Yuanli himself presents the evidence to more people." Qin Yuan stood up and looked towards the direction of Taixu. "Once the Seven Star Alliance's protective mountain array is completed, he will definitely hold a celebration and invite all forces in Taixu to attend. At that time, he will reveal the fragments of the Devouring Light Array Pattern in front of everyone."

Three days later, the Wanzhen Daoting indeed sent out invitations. The celebration for the completion of the Seven Star Array Alliance's protective mountain array was scheduled for the first day of next month, at the Wanzhen Daoting's mountain gate. The invitation was extremely polite, stating, "We respectfully invite His Excellency Qin Yuan, the Lord of the Guixu Palace, to grace us with his presence and guidance," and even added, "The Supreme Elder of the Wuji Daoting will also be attending." The meaning was clear—if you don't come, you're disrespecting the Wuji Daoting.

"That old fox even brought out the Supreme Elder," Ye Wuji cursed in his communication token. "My master didn't want to go at all; it was Zhou Yuanli who personally came to invite him."

"Then let's go," Qin Yuan said.

On the first day of next month, Qin Yuan brought Su Yao, Yan Lingji, and Mu Hongyi to the Wanzhen Daoting Mountain Gate.

This time, the spectacle was even more extravagant than the last time the catalogue was delivered. Representatives from all seven factions of the Seven Star Alliance were present, over forty envoys from the Seventy-Two Holy Dynasties attended, and the Thirty-Six Dao Sects and the Nine Ancient Clans each sent their own representatives. The Ten Thousand Array Dao Court's protective array—the "Seven Star Returning to Origin Array"—unfurled above the mountain gate. Seven beams of light of different colors shot into the sky from the array plate, weaving together in the sea of ​​stars to form a massive light shield covering a vast expanse of starfields. Every inch of the shield's surface was covered with intricate array patterns, nested layer upon layer, interlocking seamlessly. From a purely visual perspective, it truly deserved to be called the number one protective array in the Great Void.

Zhou Yuanli stood on the highest viewing platform at the mountain gate, his face glowing with a radiant smile. Beside him stood representatives from the other six forces of the Seven Star Array Alliance, each wearing a knowing smile. In their eyes, the completion of this grand array was not only a technological victory but also a political one—the Myriad Array Dao Court, under the guise of an alliance, had carved out a territory in the Great Void that the Guixu Palace could not easily tread.

When Qin Yuan landed with the three women on the plaza in front of the mountain gate, all eyes turned to him. The whispers on the viewing platform abruptly ceased, and representatives from over forty factions held their breath. The undercurrents between the Myriad Array Dao Court and the Returning Void Palace were no secret in the Great Void. Everyone knew that today's celebration would not be peaceful; the only question was who would strike first.

Zhou Yuanli personally greeted him at the mountain gate, his smile even brighter than before: "Palace Master Qin's presence is an honor to grace our humble abode. How have you found the rubbing of the Myriad Formations Diagram I presented last time to you?"

That was an extremely tricky question. Directly pointing out the existence of the Myriad Array Diagram was tantamount to saying in front of everyone that the Guixu Palace had received benefits from the Myriad Array Dao Court. If Qin Yuan were to retaliate today, it would be repaying kindness with enmity.

Qin Yuan didn't respond to that, but instead took out a rubbing of the Ten Thousand Array Diagram from his robes and weighed it in his palm. "The gift from Sect Leader Zhou is too generous. I've come today to return the favor."

Zhou Yuanli's smile froze almost imperceptibly for a moment. "Return the courtesy?"

Qin Yuan unfastened the Chaos Seal from his waist and held it in his palm. A warm, greyish-white light flowed across the seal's knob, the result of his deliberate nurturing over this period—the fragment of the Light-Devouring Array pattern sealed within the seal had become clearer and more complete than when it was shattered, nourished by the power of chaos. He gently squeezed the knob, and a greyish-white light shot out from the seal, projecting into the air above the center of the plaza, transforming into a projection of the array pattern magnified thousands of times.